Mahaffey Kathryn R, Clickner Robert P, Bodurow Catherine C
Office of Science Coordination and Policy, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20460, USA.
Environ Health Perspect. 2004 Apr;112(5):562-70. doi: 10.1289/ehp.6587.
Blood organic mercury (i.e., methyl mercury) concentrations among 1,709 women who were participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in 1999 and 2000 (1999-2000 NHANES) were 0.6 microg/L at the 50th percentile and ranged from concentrations that were nondetectable (5th percentile) to 6.7 microg/L (95th percentile). Blood organic/methyl mercury reflects methyl mercury intake from fish and shellfish as determined from a methyl mercury exposure parameter based on 24-hr dietary recall, 30-day food frequency, and mean concentrations of mercury in the fish/shellfish species reported as consumed (multiple correlation coefficient > 0.5). Blood organic/methyl mercury concentrations were lowest among Mexican Americans and highest among participants who designated themselves in the Other racial/ethnic category, which includes Asians, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders. Blood organic/methyl mercury concentrations were ~1.5 times higher among women 30-49 years of age than among women 16-29 years of age. Blood mercury (BHg) concentrations were seven times higher among women who reported eating nine or more fish and/or shellfish meals within the past 30 days than among women who reported no fish and/or shellfish consumption in the past 30 days. Blood organic/methyl mercury concentrations greater than or equal to 5.8 microg/L were lowest among Mexican Americans (2.0%) and highest among examinees in the Other racial/ethnic category (21.7%). Based on the distribution of BHg concentrations among the adult female participants in 1999-2000 NHANES and the number of U.S. births in 2000, > 300,000 newborns each year in the United States may have been exposed in utero to methyl mercury concentrations higher than those considered to be without increased risk of adverse neurodevelopmental effects associated with methyl mercury exposure.
1999年和2000年参与美国国家健康与营养检查调查（NHANES）的1709名女性的血液有机汞（即甲基汞）浓度，第50百分位数为0.6微克/升，范围从检测不到的浓度（第5百分位数）到6.7微克/升（第95百分位数）。血液有机汞/甲基汞反映了从鱼类和贝类摄入的甲基汞，这是根据基于24小时饮食回忆、30天食物频率以及报告食用的鱼类/贝类物种中汞的平均浓度得出的甲基汞暴露参数确定的（多重相关系数>0.5）。血液有机汞/甲基汞浓度在墨西哥裔美国人中最低，在将自己归为其他种族/族裔类别的参与者中最高，其他种族/族裔类别包括亚洲人、美洲原住民和太平洋岛民。30至49岁女性的血液有机汞/甲基汞浓度比16至29岁女性高约1.5倍。报告在过去30天内食用九次或更多次鱼类和/或贝类餐食的女性的血液汞（BHg）浓度比报告在过去30天内未食用鱼类和/或贝类的女性高七倍。血液有机汞/甲基汞浓度大于或等于5.8微克/升的情况在墨西哥裔美国人中最低（2.0%），在其他种族/族裔类别的受检者中最高（21.7%）。根据1999 - 2000年NHANES成年女性参与者中BHg浓度的分布以及2000年美国的出生人数，美国每年可能有超过30万新生儿在子宫内接触到高于被认为与甲基汞暴露相关的神经发育不良影响风险未增加的浓度的甲基汞。
